drums and skins Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 Here goes nothing... Alright...so in the next 6 months or so (or however long it takes for me to gather up my courage...and career), I'll be looking for a diamond for my girlfriend. Depending on how much I save up, I may just get an entirely new ring. I already have a band from my mother that I can get a new stone in and also fitted if needed... So, the question is...for guys who have had the wonderful experience of purchasing such a thing, or for any ladies who may have a preference, I'm interested in opinions on what jewelers you have had good experiences with and where the best quality for price stones are. Would you suggest buying a stone at one jeweler and if I decide to buy a ring, suggest a different place for that? I'd like to hear any opinions on getting a new ring vs fitting a new stone on a previously used band? I know my girlfriend isn't picky (so she says). For the record...I think diamonds are useless:silly:. I'd rather get a cubic zirconia but I suppose I'll get the real thing instead.:doh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost of Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 For the record...I think diamonds are useless:silly:. I'd rather get a cubic zirconia but I suppose I'll get the real thing instead.:doh: Sell out. Just cave in to DeBeers marketing campaign, why don't you?! Now, let's ask the women what they think. :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fergasun Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 Got my wife's through a friend of a friend of a friend at the LA Diamond mart... one of those hook-ups... who knows if we got fair market value or not. Buying a diamond is one of those things like a mattress. I let my wife, then-fiance' pick it out since I had already proposed... and I know she is very picky. She's happy with the ring and stone... although we got matching wedding bands at Tiffany's... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reic Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 BlueNile.com is pretty good. Kind of pricey, but your girlfriend can go into the site and design her own rings, as many as she likes. That way you are win win, except in the wallet department. Goodluck on your proposal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PleaseBlitz Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 When i bought some diamonds for my g/f (not THE diamond ) I got them at Lenkersdorfer Jeweler in Tysons Corner. Girl named Pegah was awesome teaching me all the 4 C's (not THE 4C ) and my g/f hit the roof when i gave them to her. So thats my recommendation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrockster21 Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 Make sure its not a conflict diamond - which is pretty much impossible. You might think about going another direction - you can get stones that are just as breathtaking (and as expensive) and not support that type of thing. Also, IMO it makes you look original and different if you don't go the diamond route. :2cents: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeanCollins Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 I think you should get a new band as well. as for the stone, I'd get a gia or equivilent certified stone and see if you can find a wholesaler that will do business with you. 1-1.5 carat is good size, h, i, or j color and between a vvsi 1 and vsi 2 clarity. all would be gauranteed on the certification. there is a grade for cut now too that I'm not familiar with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost of Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 Make sure its not a conflict diamond - which is pretty much impossible. ACtually, I've read even critical articles about the diamond industry that state it is very rare anymore and that now it's become merely another way to get your money ganked by the industry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDoyler23 Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 Why buy a diamond? A nice ruby, sapphire or emerald would look so much better and be unique, unlike the cookie cutter diamond ring. Diamonds aren't rare, and their value is extremely inflated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PleaseBlitz Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 Why buy a diamond? A nice ruby, sapphire or emerald would look so much better and be unique, unlike the cookie cutter diamond ring. Diamonds aren't rare, and their value is extremely inflated. Do yourself a favor Drums and dont take the advice of anyone telling you to buy something other than a diamond. They say diamonds are a girls best friend. Not rubies, not sapphires, DIAMONDS. In my experience, girls dont want unique. They want diamonds. I mean, she knows where you sleep. :paranoid: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDoyler23 Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 If the lady wants a diamond, by all means, get her a diamond. Here's a list of scams that retailers may try. Prob a little paranoid, but a decent read: http://www.diamondhelpers.com/ask/0040-scams.shtml (Anyway, my Wife didn't want a diamond. She's unique like that. In fact, She bought me a big screen TV in return. :applause: ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PleaseBlitz Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 (Anyway, my Wife didn't want a diamond. She's unique like that. In fact, She bought me a big screen TV in return. :applause: ) :applause: Funny how women like little shiny stuff. Guys like big-ass things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldbean Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 I suggest going to niceice.com to do some research. I bought my engagement ring from them, and they were awesome, but one of the co-owners (a husband/wife team) passed away recently, and they haven't done a lot of business since. I recommend it, though, because it has great information about the 4 Cs and gives you the relative importance of each. My personal recommendation is to get the most diamond you can afford: buy a basic round diamond (it will always be the most brilliant for its size and cost), buy cut first (98% of the brilliance is determined by the cut), then buy clarity, then buy color. An ideal cut diamond can hide a lot of impurities (including many SI1 stones) and will compensate to a large degree for color. But even a colorless diamond that is flawless cannot compensate for a bad cut. I'm a perfectionist, but for an engagement ring I would aim for ideal cut, at least VS clarity, and at least F color. I would buy as many carat(s) as I could within those parameters. I would demand an AGS or GIA certificate verifying the particulars. Look at the certificate. It should have a diagram of the stone with indications of the inclusions (defects inherent in the stone). Look at the inclusions, then look at the stone, then look at the stone with a magnifying loupe. Make sure there isn't anything obvious that sticks out, draws attention to itself, or otherwise annoys you. You should get a stone that is eye clean (i.e., you can't see any visible imperfections with the naked eye). I would put the stone in a platinum or white gold ring. Mounting in yellow gold will make your diamond look more colored (yellow) than it is, and you don't want to do that, since you just paid to buy a stone that has as little color as possible. If you must have a yellow gold ring, try to have at least a platinum or white gold setting to minimize that effect. Of course, people have different tastes, and not everyone will agree with my approach. But my wife loves her ring (she literally stares at it every day), so this might work for you. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ax Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 Never take advice from single guys who have trouble getting laid. Go diamond. DO NOT give her your Mom's ring. Save that for down the road/anniversary. It would be a ***** to give Mom's ring to somebody who might not be around next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Harris Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 Never take advice from single guys who have trouble getting laid. Go diamond. :rotflmao: go diamond man. other gems may make you seem original and different, but jrock left out "cheap ****." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbear Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 I asked with my grandmother's ring and then said lets go shopping for a ring you want. That seemed to impress. After being maried for a year, I can honestly say we should have bought the ring at costco rather the jeweler. Costco routinely has rings that would do better on the 4Cs than the ring we bought (wedding ring too and had them soddered together). Ah well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOOG Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 Do yourself a favor Drums and dont take the advice of anyone telling you to buy something other than a diamond. They say diamonds are a girls best friend. Not rubies, not sapphires, DIAMONDS.In my experience, girls dont want unique. They want diamonds. I mean, she knows where you sleep. :paranoid: Never take advice from single guys who have trouble getting laid. Go diamond.DO NOT give her your Mom's ring. Save that for down the road/anniversary. It would be a ***** to give Mom's ring to somebody who might not be around next year. :rotflmao:go diamond man. other gems may make you seem original and different, but jrock left out "cheap ****." yeah I second third and fourth that...it HAS to be a diamond, What you could do if it is a surprise is take her to look at "other" stones to find out the shape size she would prefer. If its not a surprise then take her and let her choose, work on surprizing her with how you will actually give it to her. Its not that hard to get a chick in a jewelry store and work your way over to the diamonds section. Good Luck!:2cents: :logo: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrockster21 Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 Why buy a diamond? A nice ruby, sapphire or emerald would look so much better and be unique, unlike the cookie cutter diamond ring. Diamonds aren't rare, and their value is extremely inflated. Exactly. My ex was a geology major, and would have appreciated a rare, unique stone more than a diamond anyway. Never take advice from single guys who have trouble getting laid. Go diamond. Ax - what exactly do diamonds have to do with getting laid? I sure hope you haven't bought diamonds for every girl you've boinked - that would probably get very expensive. And there are more efficient ways of picking women up rather than handing out diamonds. A drink and a few jokes usually works just as well. :rotflmao:go diamond man. other gems may make you seem original and different, but jrock left out "cheap ****." If a woman thinks I'm a cheap **** for not buying her a diamond, then that's not the type of woman that I want to be with in the first place. :whoknows: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosher Ham Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 I believe that there are certainly some nice stones other than diamonds. But as more of a traditional guy, I prefer the clean look of a simple diamond set. I have a buddy whose wife has a daimond and sapphire band and it looks great, but her engagement ring is a simple past, present, and future look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOOG Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 boinked :applause: :applause: :laugh: :applause: :applause: Love that word!:logo: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CandaceM23 Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 Just a warning ... Some chicks are very particular about what kind of ring they want. There are all kinds of cuts of diamonds - some like the round cut, some like princess, some like emerald .... If your girl is laid back, then you could pick a ring out on your own and she'd probably like it. But if your girl is high maintenance, then I'd recommend trying to get an idea from her. Jrock has the right idea about the uniqueness of a ring. All rings look alike these days .... It's definitely not a bad idea to branch out and get something a little different so that she doesn't have the same ring as 10,000 other people. In Jrock's defense ... I saw a woman with an emerald engagement ring, yes - green stone - and it was probably the most spectacular ring I've ever seen. There's also different color diamonds too - yellow, pink and black. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrockster21 Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 Jrock has the right idea about the uniqueness of a ring. All rings look alike these days .... It's definitely not a bad idea to branch out and get something a little different so that she doesn't have the same ring as 10,000 other people.In Jrock's defense ... I saw a woman with an emerald engagement ring, yes - green stone - and it was probably the most spectacular ring I've ever seen. :cool: :pimp: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosher Ham Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 My wife has a unique ring. And its a stunning piece. But it is all diamonds. And I had it made for her, without her knowing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrockster21 Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 My wife has a unique ring. And its a stunning piece. But it is all diamonds. And I had it made for her, without her knowing. I'm not saying DON'T get diamonds - just don't rule out everything else because you're "supposed" to buy diamonds. :whoknows: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeanCollins Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 Just a warning ... Some chicks are very particular about what kind of ring they want. There are all kinds of cuts of diamonds - some like the round cut, some like princess, some like emerald .... If your girl is laid back, then you could pick a ring out on your own and she'd probably like it. But if your girl is high maintenance, then I'd recommend trying to get an idea from her. if your girl is high maintenance, what better time to send the message "who's your daddy" than to pick the stone yourself. And when It comes to getting married, weddings etc.....It's about the only decision you're going to participate in unless you're footing the bill for the wedding also (read picked the wrong girl :laugh: ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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